– Nicotine is a tropane alkaloid, it has the ability to release dopamine in the reward pathways of the brain, why does it not produce consistent euphoria like cocaine; alkaloid or speed: amphetamine?

Question

EDIT – Something I forgot to mention which may add context is that after a period of abstinence I feel a sharp euphoric wave of dopamine which goes away within less than a few minutes and results in dysphoria, even with redosing.

Unlike cocaine, which I’m comparing since both are alkaloids, it seems to build a very unusually fast tolerance and any positive effects dissipate, unlike the latter.

In: 3379

Answer 1

They affect the dopamine system in different ways. Cocaine prevents natural dopamine from being broken down (effectively increasing the amount of dopamine) while nicotine indirectly affects dopamine pathways. Nicotine is also broken down far quicker in the brain than cocaine which is why the effects are shorter.